Electric cars.

Going by the link, a Mini EV costs 6p per mile charging at home and 8p per mile when using public charging points.

For a petrol version they have the real MPG @ 35mpg and at £1.60 per litre, that relates to 20.9p per mile. Now if there was no duty on petrol and the vat was 5% then a litre of fuel would be 84p per litre which would bring the cost down to 11p per mile.

So an Electric mini starts at about 27k while the petrol version starts at 16.5k I would have to be knocking up some miles to justify paying the extra 10.5k

The treasury will need to recoup the loss in revenue from fuel duty and 15% vat in the future, so the running costs per mile for an EV will probably double in price, if not more.

 

So what costs the money in an EV, the batteries?
I've been watching that programme where they take a so called classic car and make it into an electric one.
It seems to be the same old thing every time, take that marvellous piece of engineering out and dump it, then put an electric motor in it, just a sealed lump of copper wire I'm guessing.

They then try to find enough space for batteries, some up front, some in the back.

Its pretty boring really after watching a couple, so I dont watch it anymore.

 

I think it comes on Quest channel, can't say what time I'm usually just running through the channels when I find it.
Just looking and I think it's on 10am today it's called vintage voltage.

 

That's what struck me about it @JWK, John, it all seems so simple, guess it's not, but quite boring.

I've never been a hobbyist mechanic but I've always found the workings of the internal combustion engine interesting.

Looks like those days are on the way out.

 

My niece has a Renault Zoe electric car - she told me that a 'service' consists of plugging a laptop into the car and seeing if it has any faults...that's all. She also has one of those 'fast charge' stations plugged into the outside of her house. I must ask next time I see her - was it worth the switch from diesel/petrol.

 

I assume they still have to look at things like brakes and suspension.
Any ideas how they fit in with MOT inspection, rules etc.?

 

Do you think in the future electricity theft might become a problem from the outside charging points.
I know that you can probably isolate them from indoors, but I foresee that being far too much hassle for some people and they will desperately need a phone app to do it for them.

 

I was thinking more like greenhouse heating and a long extension lead.

 

Brakes and suspension are not normal parts of a service except for the higher mileage service checks. Brake fluid still needs to be changed at intervals.
The MOT is the same whatever kind of vehicle you have, minus the emission checks of course. And they have to check your low-speed warning beeper is working!

 

You haven't got any streetlights.

 

I am sure brake pads and discs are inspected at every service. As you say suspension, steering etc may be at a higher mileage.